Natural Resource Program Overview and Updates Ryan Orndorff

Natural Resource Program Overview and Updates Ryan Orndorff, Program Director Alison Dalsimer, Program Manager National Military Fish and Wildlife Association Norfolk, VA - March 27 2018

Organizational Updates

OSD Structure Ø USD (Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) § Ms. Ellen M. Lord Ø ASD (Energy, Installations and Environment (ASD(EI&E)) § Mr. Lucian Niemeyer Ø PDASD(EI&E) § Mr. Tad Davis Ø DASD (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health (DASD(ESOH)) § Ms. Maureen Sullivan Ø Natural Resource Program § Ryan Orndorff, Director § Alison Dalsimer, Manager

OSD Reorganization Ø 2016 & 2017 NDAA provided guidance on reforms to OSD organization and structure Ø Feb 1, 2018 OUSD Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (AT&L) split into two OUSD offices § OUSD Research and Engineering (R&E) • Mr. Michael Griffin (nominated) § OUSD Acquisition & Sustainment (A&S) • Ms. Ellen Lord § ASD(EI&E) and ASD (Logistics & Material Readiness (L&MR)) proposed for consolidation

Leadership Priorities Ø SECDEF Priorities § Restore readiness of our forces to ensure immediate protection of our national interests and those of our allies § Increase military capabilities to deter growing array of threats § Enhance lethality of our forces to overcome any challenges to our Nation § Reform business practices of the Department of Defense to achieve savings

Leadership Priorities Ø ASD (EI&E) Strategic Objectives § § § § Eliminate waste in Do. D installations and infrastructure; Support adequate funding for installation and infrastructure accounts to meet mission requirements and to address risks to safety and readiness. Protect test and training ranges from incompatible development; Ensure the mission through energy resilient forces and facilities; Seek new opportunities for third party partnerships; Develop smarter contracts, and manage contracts smartly; Provide for the safety and welfare of our people and resources through premier environmental stewardship and occupational safety programs. Collaborate with the hundreds of dedicated defense communities around the Nation protecting our bases and providing for the quality of life for our troops and their families.

Natural Resource Program Priorities and Initiatives

NR Program Vision - Enable the Defense Mission by Sustaining the Natural Resources Required for Readiness Activities Mission - Maximize and Enhance Mission Flexibility through Natural Resources Stewardship OSD Role: Ø Ø Ø Assess, develop, and implement Natural Resource related legislation, policy, guidance, procedures, and metrics Oversee Military Component NR programs, including budgets, expenditures and compliance with legislative, regulatory and policy requirements Ensure compliance with laws, Executive Orders (EOs), and Do. D policies Provide tools for Do. D natural resources managers (NRMs) such as training courses and outreach materials Develop and maintain partnerships with external stakeholders, including nongovernmental organizations, state governments, and other federal agencies Promote awareness of the NR Program to the Do. D community, Congress, and other interested parties

NR Program Priorities Ø Prevent new species listings Ø Reduce regulatory mission impacts § Improve consultation process and outcomes § Develop conservation strategies and approaches to enhance mission flexibility Ø Facilitate de-listing of species Ø Improve internal and external collaboration and coordination Ø Align NR program activities and investments to support mission

Why these Priorities? Service Challenges Ø Issues with ESA Section 7 Consultations § Ø Listed species § Encroachment/limitations on installations from listed species and their mitigation ESA compliance drives funding, lessens availability for other conservation needs Species recovery not well defined § § Inability to implement proactive NR management, Potential for longer term compliance impacts § § Staffing shortages Need for ongoing training § § Ø Ø Delays, challenges with technical expertise and best available science, understaffed Regulator offices Unattended NR management issues (e. g. , invasives) NR Personnel

Do. D NR Program Funding Execution – FY 17 Presidential Budget Exhibits - Conservation Listed and At-Risk Species 33. 00% Natural Resources Other 31. 69% Conservatio n Crosscutting Programs Wetlands 3. 18% 0. 65% [CATEGORY NAME] [PERCENTAGE]

What are we doing to address Ø ESA § § § Initiative: Defining the Problems & Proposing Solutions Providing Information and Guidance Learning from Success Building Collaborations Engaging Leadership Providing Resources to Drive Solutions

Defining the Problems & Proposing Solutions Ø Do. D ESA Workshop: Members of the Military Components met on May 2, 2017 to: § § § Ø Identify solutions to installation-level and program-wide challenges in implementing the ESA Demonstrate innovations that are improving efficiency and effectiveness in ESA administration Develop common set of approaches Do. D can incorporate into its species conservation strategies Suggested outcomes included: § § § Pursue policy initiatives to ensure meaningful recognition of Do. D’s conservation efforts • Identify potential opportunities to pilot these initiatives Internal guiding principles on ESA compliance addresses communication with regulators and use of Do. D authorities. Internal guidance on use of programmatic approaches to ESA compliance Repository of existing BOs, BAs, and other related documentation Develop Do. D’s regional priorities for species recovery

Information, Policy & Guidance Ø ESA WG established to address improving Do. D ESA implementation § Develop guiding principles on ESA consultation • Input from Military Components • Addresses communication with regulators and use of Do. D authorities • Navy developed “ESA Cheat Sheet” § Developing internal guidance use of programmatic approaches to ESA compliance § Develop a policy initiative in coordination with FWS and NMFS to provide installations greater flexibility, predictability and assurances under the ESA

Learn from Success Ø Identify, promote and replicate successes; § § § Army RCW Guidelines – provides incentives for recovery by reducing mission restrictions Long term program investments resulting in de-listing (Island night lizard, San Clemente Island; Black-capped vireo Fort Hood under review) MCB Camp Lejeune Recovery and Sustainment Program (RASP) – broadens recovery landscape off-installation to provide greater installation flexibility CCA for the Flat-tailed horned lizard – long standing agreement and rangewide strategy prevented federal and state listing Gopher tortoise Conservation and Credit Strategy – range-wide strategy to focus conservation on critical areas to prevent listing; develops credits for installation use if the species is listed These are just a few, and there are others that we just don’t know about. Others are under development. Share your challenges, successes or ideas

Building Collaboration Collaborative Wildlife Protection and Recovery Initiative (CWPRI) Ø Ø Ø A collaborative approach to align existing efforts and priorities across agencies and organizations. Identify gaps and develop solutions. Identify places, species, and projects where federal agencies can collaborate to recover species or preclude listings in support of species and respective missions Federal Participants Do. D, USFWS, BLM, ACOE, NCRS, USFS, NGO Participants NFWF, ABC, DOW Initial effort will look at 2 riparian bird species § § § Least bell’s vireo, Southwestern willow flycatcher Meeting planned for April 24 -25 in Carlsbad, CA Intent is to explore development of a range-wide recovery strategy

Building Collaboration Regional Partnerships

Building Collaboration America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative Ø Military training is critically linked to longleaf pine habitat, and restoration can enhance military readiness § Over 600, 000 acres on military installations/ranges § 35% of publicly-owned longleaf pine habitat § 18% of total longleaf habitat in entire Southeast Ø Range-Wide Conservation Plan in March 2009 Ø USDA-Do. D-DOI MOU signed in June 2010 Ø Emphasis from Administration and Congress § American Recovery and Reinvestment Act § America’s Great Outdoors § 33 Member Partnership Council supports implementation

Ø Ø The U. S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense and the Interior announced the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership in 2013, a nationwide federal, local and private collaboration dedicated to promoting natural resource sustainability The Partnership identifies shared interests within a landscape and coordinates mutually beneficial programs and strategies to preserve, enhance or protect habitat and working lands near military installations http: //sentinellandscapes. org/ 19

Engaging Leadership Senior Do. D/Do. I leadership have established active communication and coordination Ø Do. I requested Do. D mission priority species to help inform planning for down/de-listing actions Ø Intent to establish a “tiger team” between Do. D/Do. I (including military service reps, USWFS reps) Ø § Identify priority species that may be considered for down/de-listing § Identify opportunities for collaboration to move species towards recovery § Develop an MOU to pursue a policy initiative providing Do. D greater flexibility and predictability under the ESA

Resources to Drive Solutions Do. D Legacy Program Strategic Focus Ø Defining Statements of Need for Legacy 2019 Ø § 5 year NR strategy/approach • Address mission priority candidate and listed species, identified by military services • Develop and implement a 5 -year strategic focus on preventing species listings, minimizing regulatory burdens to mission, and supporting species recovery • Identify and fill information gaps; develop standards, plans and strategies; fund pilot initiatives (integrate with REPI) § Sustain support for priority efforts (Do. DPIF, Do. DPARC, NPLD, etc. )

Resources to Drive Solutions Ø Do. D Legacy Program Strategic Focus Ø Example Projects § Species Status Assessment – Red-cockaded woodpecker § Species Status Assessment – 5 Longleaf At-Risk Species § Dynamic on-line recovery tool § ESA Section 7(a)(1) as a Tool for Mission Support

Resources to Drive Solutions Improve integration with REPI Ø Build strategies and pilots to leverage investments made through the REPI Challenge (or other REPI projects) Ø § 2018 REPI Challenge focus was Species Crediting Approaches and Watershed Protection § $15 M set-aside for one or more projects § Intent is to continue this focus for upcoming years Ø REPI funds can be executed under “REPI Agreements” (10 U. S. C. 2684 a) or “Sikes Agreements” (16 U. S. C. 670 c-1)

Natural Resource Program Policy, Legislative and Resource Updates

Legislative Proposals Ø Relevant Draft Legislative Proposals § § Land Withdrawals • Proposal to make land withdrawals indefinite based on recurring Do. D certification of continuing need • Establishes executive committees, periodic assessments, reporting and public engagement MMPA • Seeking MMPA authorizations which don't arbitrarily expire every five years for military readiness activities § • Sustainable readiness and resources plans being reviewed every 10 years Authority to fund USFWS/NMFS to expedite consultations • Provides authority to provide resources to support USFWS staff that will provide technical expertise relevant to the Military Services • Requires certification of need, defined scope and timelines

Wildland Fire Policy Ø Ø Do. DI 6055. 06 Do. D Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Program undergoing revision Identified need to clarify wildland fire policy • Clearly define program responsibilities • Clarify requirements for specific equipment, training, etc. • Clarify Do. D role in the Wildland Fire Leadership Council Ø Coordinating with Military Components, Fire and Emergency Services, Range Operations, P&R, DOT&E

Website Migration to DENIX Ø Per Do. DI 8410. 01 and DASD(ESOH) direction, the NR Program, Do. D PIF, and Legacy tracker websites’ content will be moved to DENIX over the coming year § § § http: //www. dodnaturalresources. net http: //www. dodworkshops. org/files/ http: //www. dodinvasives. org http: //www. dodpollinators. org https: //www. dodlegacy. org/legacy/index. aspx http: //www. dodpif. org Coming Soon…. § https: //www. denix. osd. mil/dodnr/home/ § https: //www. denix. osd. mil/dodpif/home/ § https: //www. denix. osd. mil/dodparc/home/ § https: //www. denix. osd. mil/dodlegacy/home/